Some Super Bowl ideas are so good and so obvious that when they actually make it to the screen it’s like the world just righted a wrong.
That’s how I felt when I first saw the Michael Cera CeraVe commercial. Hats off to the team who willed this into existence. From its absolutely effortless use of celebrity to its really funny writing and self-aware tone, they had me at “human skin.” Loved that it ends with him pitching the idea, too. And at one point he hydrates a mountain?! Yes, please. A+++
There was a lot to like last night between Taylor and Travis takes and what was a very entertaining Super Bowl. I love when celebs are utilized well in spots and hate when they don’t make sense for the work. It takes me out of the moment—it’s like watching the budget meeting play out on screen instead of witnessing a great idea.
So I loved Beyoncé breaking the internet but unable to break Verizon’s 5G. It was playful and gigantic and it was so fun to see Tony Hale back as our fave assistant and foil. Icing on the cake that she actually broke the internet after with the “Texas Hold ‘Em” music announcement. We’re getting a Beyoncé country album?? Is this real? Is this a Verizon stunt? Either way, BOTUS forever.
Dunkin’ took it to the next level with Ben, Matt and J Lo’s “DunKings.” This brand is now so cool they get to be purposefully uncool and I still want all their merch. Kind of love that they’ve created all this hilarious drama around Ben and J Lo’s relationship. It’s so playful and tabloid-y. Matt Damon’s friendship line ftw.
If you haven’t seen American Fiction (run, don’t walk) there’s an amazing establishing moment where you know Jeffrey Wright has returned to Boston because he’s holding and drinking Dunkin’ coffee. This brand has done all the work—their cultural significance is firmly established. It’s pretty brilliant and now they just get to play in the world they’ve created.
Loved Agent State Farm with Arnold, too. It’s hard to keep it fresh when you’ve hammered a tagline and spokesperson as hard as State Farm has. Using Arnold to disrupt the pronunciation of the line really worked for me. And raising the stakes to be the making of the action movie made it even more fun. Hat tip to the team for its homage (maybe?) to a classic Simpsons/McBain bit. And you gotta love Arnold carrying a pregnant woman to safety to get the “this woman is in la-buh” joke in. Bonus points for the real Jake trying to coach it out of Arnold. Fun, fresh stuff.
Lastly, I’m a sucker for Aubrey Plaza declaring she’s America’s sweetheart at the top of Mountain Dew’s “Having a Blast.” She’s the greatest and this was an awesome use of her talent. Every frame was hilarious. It hammered the line beautifully against the playful tension embodied by America’s acerbic sweetheart. Nick Offerman joining her for the Game of Thrones-esque ending only added to the fun. Bet they ‘had a blast’ making that spot.
Jen Bills is the Executive Creative Director at 1o8. She has worked as a creative leader at FCB and OKRP. Her client portfolio includes Ty, Chili’s, Nike Chicago, Illinois Tourism, Big Lots, and Home Chef, to name just a few. Her recent work for Illinois Cares For Kids was a shortlist finalist for the Digiday Greater Good Awards, and Reel Chicago’s Reel Ad of the Week.
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